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Chapter 32
Andyet,"headded,bendinghisheadaside,tocatchthesoundsofthedistantcombat,"ifwearetobeofusetoUncas,theseknavesinourfrontmustbegotridof!"
Thenturning,withapromptanddecidedair,hecalledaloudtohisIndians,intheirownlanguage.Hiswordswereansweredbyashout;and,atagivensignal,eachwarriormadeaswiftmovementaroundhisparticulartree.Thesightofsomanydarkbodies,glancingbeforetheireyesatthesameinstant,drewahasty,andconsequentlyanineffectualfirefromtheHurons.Withoutstoppingtobreathe,theDelawaresleaped,inlongbounds,towardsthewood,likesomanypanthersspringingupontheirprey.Hawkeyewasinfront,brandishinghisterriblerifle,andanimatinghisfollowersbyhisexample.AfewoftheolderandmorecunningHurons,whohadnotbeendeceivedbytheartificewhichhadbeenpractisedtodrawtheirfire,nowmadeacloseanddeadlydischargeoftheirpieces,andjustifiedtheapprehensionsofthescout,byfellingthreeofhisforemostwarriors.Buttheshockwasinsufficienttorepeltheimpetusofthecharge.TheDelawaresbrokeintothecoverwiththeferocityoftheirnatures,andsweptawayeverytraceofresistancebythefuryoftheonset.
Thecombatenduredonlyforaninstant,handtohand,andthentheassailedyieldedgroundrapidly,untiltheyreachedtheoppositemarginofthethicket,wheretheyclungtothecover,withthesortofobstinacythatissooftenwitnessedinhuntedbrutes.
